Refugarium Questions

[spendingdough]

I am quite confused about these things. I understand the benefit of having one but unsure about the construction and I was hoping someone could answer some questions of mine. I will attacch some pics of what I plan on doing and maybe someone could point me in the right direction.
My refugarium I am building is 30G it was a spare tank we had sitting in the basement. I had an overflow hole drilled so the tank can drain into my sump. I was planning on adding anouther pump to my sump to pump the water from my sump to the refuge. I have a skimmer ( I am replacing with a better one) in my sump currently. What is the need for a skimmer in the fuge as well as the bulkheads I see in so many others? If my fuge is basically a seperate extension of my sump can I leave out all the baffles and have it pump from, and drain to my sump?My fuge is gonna be parked right next to my display.

 

[salt210]

I would use a pump placed in the aquarium, just small one in the top corner by the refuge that you are setting up

 

[spendingdough]

So no need for baffles? Just live rock rubble and lots of live sand?

 

[salt210]

if you place a skimmer in the refuge then yes you will want the baffles but not if you just use it for the LR and chaeto. I would just add a bigger skimmer to the sump only.

 

[spendingdough]

Sweet

that is what I wanted to hear! I do plan on adding a better skimmer I am just searching around for the best one. It has to hang on the side of the sump. and not go in it. I really appreciate your response thankyou!

 

[salt210]

why hang on the side of the sump and not sit inside of it? looks like you have plenty of room in there

 

[spendingdough]

I only have 13.5" by 13.5 " so I am looking for an insump skimmer that will fit. I would like to have it in the sump but it has proven difficult to find a good skimmer that will fit. My lfs recomended the cl220 which I have since been told is no good for the size of tank I have. We wasted $350 on that thing. I am looking at BubbleKing, WarnerMarine and ASM skimmers right now. I was told to find a skimmer rated for at least double the tank size but I dont know if I go with a really good brand if I can get it rated for the tank size or a little bigger.

 

[salt210]

same questions that I have been asking myself. my space constriants are a little tighter tho

 

[toomanytoys]

reef octopus
extreme 160 is rated for 125 gallon heavily stocked tank
i just put one in and is pulling gunk out after only 8 hrs and will easily fit in your space
oops just looked at your profile an it says you have a 180 gallon so the 160 wouldnt work but the extreme 200 might it will fit in 11.5 x 13.5

 

[natclanwy]

You can mount your skimmer externally if you have the room outside your sump, I have an AquaC EV-180 that is mounted beside my sump and only the pump sits inside the sump but with the use of bulkheads and the correct pump the pump could sit outside as well. Other brands of skimmers can be mounted externally as well but I'm not familiar with which ones.

 

[natclanwy]

To answer your original questions:
You don't need to have skimmer in your fuge, its common practice to have the exit for your fuge downstream of your skimmer intake to avoid skimming your pods out before they make it to the DT.
Not sure what your are asking about the bulkheads?
Utilizing a pump in the sump is fine I wouldn't add one to the display since it would add some complexity to the situation since you would have to be sure and have a siphon break to keep the pump from overflowing the fuge and sump during a power outage. There is no need for bubble traps in your fuge and as long as you return the fuge back to your sump before your final bubble trap you don't have to worry about micro bubbles in your display.

 

[spendingdough]

Thankyou so much for your help! I really appreciate it . Its funny I should have just started a single thread about my new tank build. I have about 6 different threads out there with all the different questions i have had. probobly would have been easier to just have it all in one. LOL I appreciate all the help thankyou.